CARSON – Justin Braun is simply a kick in the head to the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Chivas USA forward scored in his fourth consecutive game against San Jose as the Goats pushed aside the panic button for another day with a 3-2 victory Saturday night at Home Depot Center.

Braun could only laugh when it was suggested that he should ask for a trade to Colorado so he could play against San Jose again next week.

“No, definitely staying here,” he said. “I haven’t come up with an explanation. I’ve just been fortunate to score some goals against them. I’m looking forward to carrying that and scoring against some other teams as the season goes along.”

Braun’s goal in the 54 th minute enabled Chivas to end a two-game losing streak and erase the memory of 3-0 rout suffered last week at Houston. Two of Braun’s goals have decided matches.

This one almost did, but his replacement, Chukwudi Chijindu, broke free with a long pass from Michael Lahoud and scored in the closing moments to seal the second win of the season for Chivas (2-3).

Zach Thornton made a brilliant diving, one-handed save in the 72 nd minute when Ryan Johnson tried to head in a cross from Chris Wondolowski. Three minutes later, Johnson was denied again when his one-bounce header deflected off the crossbar, and Ike Opara’s shot on the rebound sailed over the net.

Steven Beitashour scored in injury time for San Jose (2-2) to make it 3-2.

It was the first time Chivas has scored as many as three goals in a game since Oct. 4, 2008, at D.C. United.

“That’s been on our mind and it’s good to get that out of the way and have people kind of stop talking about that,” Braun said. “I know this team is capable of scoring goals.”

They had only scored one for themselves in the previous four games – their other was an own goal.

But they had a new attack in store for the Earthquakes and the rookie midfield tandem of Blair Gavin and Ben Zemanski, teammates for the past three years at the University of Akron, virtually controlled the game.

Sacha Kljestan’s goal in the 25 th minute was a stunner almost out of nowhere that gave Chivas a 1-0 lead. He collected a pass from Blair Gavin and took a couple of strides into a crease in front of the final line of defense, and from 25 yards ripped a shot into the upper right corner, grazing the fingertip of goalkeeper Joe Cannon.

It was Kljestan’s first goal of the season and first since he was named as co-captain. Kljestan made sure he paid tribute to the work the rookies produced.

“Huge, they were huge tonight,” Kljestan said. “Ben and Blair were awesome. It’s a different formation we haven’t played yet, but the two of them were behind me just kind of cleaning up everything and distributing, winning balls and making it hard for San Jose to play. They did everything right for tonight.”

Chivas spent the next 15 minutes continuing to threaten. Gavin and Zemanski – who made his first MLS start – were solid and right back Mariano Trujillo made a number of dangerous crossing passes.

But one lapse cost Chivas. From the left sideline, San Jose’s Bobby Convey floated a long pass into the box. Chivas defender Jonathan Bornstein appeared to have a half-step on Wondolowski, but somehow Bornstein’s attempt at clearing the ball clipped Wondolowski, who was awarded a penalty kick.

“I went to clear the ball but when I went to kick it, someone stuck their foot between my legs,” Bornstein said. “I thought I got fouled.”

Wondolowski beat Zach Thornton with a shot into the lower left corner in the 41 st minute and it was tied at halftime 1-1.

Nine minutes into the second half, Bornstein passed across the field from the left sideline. Trujillo gathered it with his right foot and fed the ball across with his left and Braun outjumped defender Jason Hernandez to head the just inside the far post.